Pretoria: The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been authorized to probe allegations of maladministration and unlawful conduct within the Free State Department of Education. President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed Proclamation 325 of 2026, granting the SIU the mandate to investigate the department's activities.
According to South African Government News Agency, the investigation will scrutinize the procurement and contracting processes for construction services conducted by or on behalf of the department from March 1, 2014, until the date of the proclamation. The inquiry will extend to unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditures incurred by the department or the State, particularly in relation to projects at Caleb Motshabi Primary School, Malebogo Primary School, and Tlholo Primary School.
The SIU will assess whether the procurement processes adhered to relevant legislation, National Treasury, and Provincial Treasury regulations, as well as the department's procurement policies and procedures. The investigation will also explore any irregular, unlawful, or improper conduct by officials, employees, service providers, or other entities involved. Additionally, any related conduct involving the same parties or contracts identified during the investigation will be examined.
In a related development, President Ramaphosa has signed an amendment to Proclamation 244 of 2025 concerning the Great Kokstad Local Municipality. The original proclamation, issued on January 31, 2025, allowed the SIU to investigate procurement and contracting practices related to goods, works, or services by or on behalf of the municipality, as well as any payments not conducted in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive, or cost-effective manner.
The amendment extends the investigation period to commence on June 5, 2020, instead of January 1, 2022, and continues until the publication date of the amended proclamation. The investigation focuses on specific procurement bids, including Bid GKM 19-22/23 for software license supply and renewal, and Bid GKM 16-22/23 for customer care and IT service solutions. It further expands to include Bid GKM 43-19/20 for laptops and desktops, and Bid GKM 14-20/21 for software license supply and renewal.
The SIU is tasked with investigating serious maladministration, irregular expenditure, unlawful conduct, and any related corruption or fraud. It aims to recover financial losses suffered by the State. Under the Act No. 74 of 1996, the SIU is empowered to investigate matters referred by the President and institute civil proceedings in the Special Tribunal or High Court to address any wrongdoing uncovered. The unit may also recover State financial losses arising from corruption, fraud, maladministration, or other unlawful conduct identified during these investigations.
